Letters to the Editor

Upon returning from an extended holiday vacation, one of my first pleasures was getting caught up on the last couple of issues of The Argonaut. I was amused to discover that time never stands still in Westchester.

Now it seems the latest “cause of all causes” is to fight “Big Brother,” the evil-doers who have placed a protective fence around certain areas of the bluffs, in order to keep out a few of the local folks who appear to believe that because they’ve achieved access to private property in the past, that they should continue such access unimpeded into the future.

One of them stated that she felt “spied on,” and another was reported as saying that the new security patrol “wrecked” his regular sojourn. A third person was quoted as saying she thought “the whole encroachment is unfair.”

Since the dictionary defines encroach as “to trespass or intrude upon the rights or properties of another,” it is indeed unusual to apply this term to the actual owners of the property and not herself.

The Playa Vista officials’ retort that the fence helps them enforce the city’s trespassing and dog leash laws, seems to make sense to me. And supposedly, the key “gotcha” from these folks is that the people that have complained about their trespassing are “a small number.” Like the leash laws on the books don’t matter unless more folks insist on their enforcement?

One person was quoted as stating that “it’s very surprising that the complaints of a few should outweigh the greater population.” I guess the “greater population” would consist solely of these three individuals who object. Besides, since when is it a municipal government’s responsibility to provide any type of off-leash dog parks? These folks should try an approach that has worked for our family for years; take the dog out for a walk around the block.

In the same issue as the article, I was further interested by what I read in the “letters” section. It was an onslaught of emotional diatribe upon Playa Vista officials.

Certain letter writers expressed their viewpoint in terms such as “it was a shock” when fencing went up, people were “disgusted, angered and confused,” and “harassing residents out for walks,” that Playa Vista officials “induce anger, hurt and reaction.”

Others used words such as “dismayed, appalled” and said that this sudden restriction of access was “draconian” enforcement of leash laws. In my dictionary draconian refers to “a very harsh code of laws, inhumanly severe and cruel.”

Others said, if you can believe it, that enforcement of current laws was “a major and severe offense” to them.

One claims that Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s support of the fence is a “cave-in” to the developers. So what would they have him do, “cave-in” to their whims to flout city leash and trespassing laws?

Look people, I’m just like the next guy who hates to see development take place every time I turn around, and another hillside sprout houses, and another open space get covered over with concrete, but above all else we must respect the principle of private property, whether it’s someone else’s or our own. And harping on about how their tiny little fiefdom suddenly fell out from under them doesn’t advance the debate in a responsible manner.

Larry Gladstone, Westchester

Thanks for publishing letter about off-leash dogs on bluffs

To the Editor:

Thank you for printing the letter “Critical of those who let dogs run off-leash on bluffs above Playa Vista” in the December 20th Argonaut, and thank you, sir, for writing it.

Yours is the first voice of reason I have ever heard from Playa Vista. If I could believe there were going to be responsible citizens [in Playa Vista] enjoying the changes in the wetlands, and taking care of what little life is left there, I would cease fighting the so-far-seemingly-thoughtless development.

Jeryll Taylor, Mar Vista

Found Ballona Creek full of recyclable runoff; warns that L.A. County must recycle

To the Editor:

Last week, after three rainy days, I went to Ballona Creek along the jetty and collected three huge bags of plastic bottles and aluminum cans. They flow into the ocean from street runoff, but apparently there is no method of prevention.

I spoke to the contracting company manager whose crew was collecting trash and was told, “We can’t take the time to separate the recyclables from the trash.” After I expressed my dismay, he unconvincingly stated that they are separated where the trash is taken.

It would seem that a contributing factor to the enormous amount of trash washing up on beaches is the lack of mandatory recycling in Los Angeles County. Why hasn’t the Board of Supervisors promoted this action?

I contacted Supervisor Don Knabe, whose district includes the Marina, but received no response. With increasing sales of water in plastic bottles (when tap water is totally safe), this problem will certainly become monumental.

Los Angeles County must recycle.

Bettina Gantsweg, Marina del Rey

Welcome to Palawan Raceway!

To the Editor:

Welcome, everyone, to Palawan Raceway! There are no police and no meter maids, and don’t be bothered that it’s only one-way. Hundreds of automobiles break the law every day. And why not? Palawan Raceway has no speed bumps and no law enforcement.

The only thing that I have not witnessed is two cars racing. The street is three lanes wide and there is room to race. One lane is for 15-minute parking, rather silly, but who cares? One lane is for driving and the third is blocked off with two yellow lines painted on the street. Many do not pay any attention to the painted yellow lines or the speed limits.

Oh, and three out of four drivers are also on their cell phones. So, welcome and have a good time. Available 24 hours a day.